Fuse holders



May 3, 1955 J. R. HOLLINS 2,707,736

FUSE HOLDERS Filed April 50, 1955 /L\ i l \\H 27 /0 7? T l |:I.Z

WIN 1 JNVENTOR.

A oe/V15) United States Patent was FUSE HOLDERS Jesse R. Hollins, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application April 30, 1953, Serial No. 352,162

Claims. (Cl. 200-4155) This invention relates to fuse holders or assemblies, especially for automotive vehicles, and more particularly to an improved fuse assembly adapted for economical manufacture and facilitating the insertion and replacement of fuses in an electric circuit.

in automotive vehicle electric circuits, ferrule or cartridge type fuses are used, and these fuses are usually mounted in spaced spring clips on a fuse block. To protect the fuse and prevent accidental shorting contact with the exposed clips, the fuse blocks are mounted well beneath the dash, thus making the fuses relatively difficult of access for inspection or replacement. Additionally, the clips must exert a relatively strong force on the fuse caps to assure good electrical contact. Consequently, considerable force must be exerted in extracting a blown fuse and replacing it with a new one.

Furthermore, the installation of the usual fuse block requires the circuit wires to be stripped at their ends and secured to screw or clip type terminals. This type of assembly involves additional expense for time and labor.

In view of the foregoing, various other types of fuse assemblies have been suggested from time to time. Some of these have incorporated the usual automotive type lamp socket, involving a spring pressed central contact, for connection to one end of the fuse. The lamp socket is elongated to receive the fuse and arranged to have a cap detachably secured to its open end and containing the other fuse engaging contact. Because of the relatively much higher cost of these assemblies, compared to that of the usual fuse blocks, the assemblies have not found wide commercial acceptance despite the greater ease of manipulation in inserting and changing fuses. This higher cost has been due, at least in part, to the number of sepa rate and different parts required, involving metal casings, fuse insulating sleeves, contact arrangements and contact caps.

The present invention is directed to a novel fuse assembly involving only two different parts for each size of fuse. One of these parts is a socket element, resembling the usual automotive lamp base, and arranged to telescopically receive and make contact with the end cap of a fuse. Two of these sockets are included in each assembly, one for engaging each end of the fuse. The other different part of the assembly is a cylindrical casing, or sleeve element, arranged to telescopically receive and detachably interconnect the sockets, and enclose the fuse. This casing is of different lengths, dependent upon the capacity, and thus the length, of the fuse to be used in a circuit. The sockets are identical for automotive fuses of all capacities over the 430 ampere range, for example. The socket comprises a cup shape member of dielectric material, such as a suitable synthetic resin, having an inner diameter somewhat larger than the diameter of the end cap of a fuse. The base of the socket has a central aperture large enough to freely pass an insulated conductor. The end of the conductor is stripped and soldered, crimped, or otherwise secured to a contact washer or eye let, and a coil spring embraces the insulated conductor between such eyelet and the socket base.

Near its open end, each socket is formed with diametrically opposed outwardly projecting pins. These pins are adapted to enter J slots in the outer ends of the cylindrical casing. The latter has an inner diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of each socket, and thus is adapted to embrace the sockets. The inner diameter of the casing is greater than that of the fuse, which latter is firmly supported at each end in the sockets. Hence, no insulation sleeve is needed, and the casing may be of metal, if desired, although a synthetic dielectric resin is preferred.

To complete the assembly, a fuse has one end cap telescopically inserted in one socket, the casing is telescopically connected to this socket, and the other socket is telescopically connected into the other end of the easing. The interconnection of the sockets by the casing by the coaction of the respective pins and slots, defining a latching means somewhat compresses the socket springs assuring firm contact of the eyelets with the ends of the fuse. To change a fuse, either socket may be disengaged from the casing, the fuse changed, and the socket and casing re-assembled. This is an advantage should one socket become firmly fixed to the casing due to corrosion, distortion, or other cause.

Should a different capacity fuse be needed, only the casing need be changed. The manufacture is thus greatly simplified and costs kept at a minimum as the sockets are identical and the only variety in parts is represented by the different length casings for different capacity fuses.

For an understanding of the invention principles reference is made to the following description of a typical embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying draws;

Fig. l is an exploded view, partly in section, illustrating the fuse holder in disassembled relation;

Fig. 2 is an axial sectional view through the fuse assembly on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation view of the assembly.

Referring to the drawing, the fuse holder 10 comprises a pair of identical socket elements and a cylindrical connector, sleeve element, or casing 40. The sockets 20 are each arranged to telescopically receive and make electrical contact with an end cap 16 of a cartridge or ferrule type fuse 15, and to be interconnected by the casing 40 which substantially encloses the assembly.

Each socket 2f is a cup shaped member of a suitable dielectric synthetic resin or plastic composition material, and has a flaring open end 21 for easy insertion of a fuse cap .16 into the socket. Opening 21 merges smoothly into a cylindrical passage 22 having an inner diameter substantially equal to that of a cap 16 and concentric with an axial opening 23 in base 24 of the socket. Adjacent its open end, each socket is formed with a pair of diametrically opiosed outwardly projecting pins 25 for a purpose to be described. The outer surface of each socket, adjacent base 24, may be knurled as at 26 (Fig. 3) to provide for gripping of the socket for turn ing the same in assembling and disassembling fuse holder 10.

Sockets it? are generally similar to the usual vehicle lamp base in so far as their electrical contact means is concerned. Thus, mechanical connection of a socket to an insulated single conductor cable 30 is made by inserting the cable through aperture 23. The end of the cable is stripped of insulation 31 to bare conductor 32, and a coil spring 33 is slipped over cable 30 to seat on base 24- and within recess 22. The bare outer end of conductor 32 is then soldered, crimped, or otherwise secured to a contact eyelet 35 seating on the outer end of spring 33.

Casing or sleeve element 40 is a cylindrical member having a length a little greater than the length of the fuse with which it is designed to be used. The length of casing 40 varies substantially directly with the fuse capacity. The inner diameter of casing 49 is substantially slightly greater than the outer diameter of sockets 20, so that the sockets will fit easily into the ends of such casing 40.

Each end of casing 40 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposite J-slots 45 arranged to receive pins 25 of the respective sockets 20, the pins and slots upon inter-engagement defining a latching means.

'The inner ends of the slots on one end of easing 4d are directed oppositely to those on the other end of the casing. As the inner surface of casing 40 is spaced substantially from fuse 15, no insulating sleeve is necessary even if casing 40 is formed of a conductive metal. However, it is preferred to form casing 40 of a dielectric synthetic resin or plastic composition material.

To assemble a fuse in the holder, one end cap 16 of fuse 15 is inserted into a socket 2t Casing 40 is then secured to this socket by guiding pins 25 into slots 45 and then oppositely turning the socket and casing. The other socket is then similarly secured in the opposite end of the casing. Due to the relative dimensions involved, springs 33 are compressed when both sockets are interconnected by casing 40, so that eyelets 35 are held in firm contact with fuse caps or collars 16.

To replace a fuse, both sockets are gripped, pressed together, and twisted in opposite directions. This will disengage one or both sockets from casing 4t). The fuse is then changed and the holder re-assembled as described.

Due to the complete protection of fuse 15 by assembly 10, the assembly may be mounted anywhere in the electric line where it is convenient of access for changing fuses. Only two ,difierent parts, a socket and a casing, need be manufactured, thus greatly reducing the manufacturing cost.

'While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the ap plication of the invention principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What I claim is:

1. A fuse holder comprising, in combination, a pair of identical dielectric socket elements each arranged to telescopically receive one end cap of a cartridge-type fuse; and each socket element having an aperture in its base, an insulated conductor extending through the aperture, a contact electrically and mechanically secured to the end of the conductor within the socket element for engagement by a fuse end cap, and spring means disposed between said contact and said base; sleeve element arranged to enclose a fuse mounted in a pair of said socket elements and having ends telescopically engageable with said socket elements; and interengageable latching means respectively on each end of said sleeve element and on each socket element.

2. A fuse holder comprising, in combination, a pair of identical dielectric socket elements each arranged to telescopically receive one end cap of a cartridge-type fuse; and each socket element having an aperture in its base, an insulated conductor extending through the aperture, a contact electrically and mechanically secured to the end of the conductor within the socket element for engagement by a fuse end cap, and a coil spring embracing said conductor and having ends engaging said contact and 41;. said base; a sleeve element arranged to enclose a fuse mounted in a pair of said socket elements and having ends telescopically engageable with said socket elements; and interengageable latching means respectively on each end of said sleeve element and on each socket element.

3. A fuse holder comprising, in combination, a pair of identical dielectric socket elements each arranged to telescopically receive one end cap of a cartridge-type fuse and each having an aperture in its base, an insulated conductor extending through the aperture, a contact electrically and mechanically secured to the end of the conductor within the socket element for engagement by a fuse end cap, and spring means disposed between said contact and said base; each socket element carrying a pair of opposed outwardly projecting pins; a sleeve element arranged to enclose a fuse mounted in a pair of said socket elements and having ends telescopically engageable with said socket elements; and a pair of 0pposed bayonet slots extending inwardly from each end of said sleeve element and engage-able by said pins to interconnect said sleeve and socket elements.

4. A fuse holder comprising, in combination, a pair of identical dielectric socket elements each arranged to telecopically receive one end cap of a cartridge-type fuse and each having an aperture in its base, an insulated conductor extending through the aperture, a contact electrically and mechanically secured to the end of the conductor within the socket element for engagement by a fuse end cap, and a coil spring embracing said conductor and having ends engaging said contact and said base; each socket element carrying a pair of opposed outwardly projecting pins; a sleeve element arranged to enclose a fuse mounted in a pair of said socket elements and having ends telescopically engageable with said socket elements; and a pair of opposed bayonet slots extending inwardly from each end of said sleeve and socket ele ments.

5. An automotive fuse assembly comprising, in combination, a pair of identical dielectric socket elements; each having an aperture in its base; an insulated conductor extending through each aperture; a contact electrically and mechanically secured to the end of each conductor within the socket element for engagement by a fuse end cap; a coil spring embracing each conductor and having ends engaging the associated contact and the associated base; each socket element carrying a pair of opposed outwardly projecting pins; a cartridge type fuse having end caps each telescopically engaged in one of said socket elements; a sleeve element enclosing said fuse and having its ends each telescopically engaged with a socket element; and a pair of opposed bayonet slots extending inwardly from from each end of said sleeve elernent and engageable by said pins to interconnect said sleeve and socket elements.

ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,262,683 Lewis et al. Apr. 16, 1918 1,316,319 Niesen Sept. 16, 1919 1,601,673 Bridgman Sept. 28, 1926 1,851,775 Saunders et al Mar. 29, 1932 1,969,301 Edwards Aug. 7, 1934 2,634,349 Genter Apr. 7, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 351,955 Great Britain June 26, 1931 519,028 Great Britain Mar. 14, 1940 605,980 Great Britain Aug. 4, 1948 

